Let’s be imperfectly vegan, let’s be imperfectly zero-waste, let’s be imperfectly plastic-free, let’s be imperfectly sustainable, because a little shift in consciousness is better than none at all

Juliana is a resident of Bogotá, Colombia, whose life journey has led her to a unique perspective. At 32 years old, Juliana is a talented set designer who hails from a small city with a primary focus on the livestock industry, owing to its geographical and climatic attributes. Growing up surrounded by the cultural norm of animal slaughter, Juliana found herself questioning this practice from an early age.

In 2019, her pursuit of a master’s degree abroad became a turning point. It was during this time that Juliana made a resolute decision that would alter the course of her life: she embraced veganism wholeheartedly. Despite years of contemplation, it was this international experience that prompted her to fully commit to a compassionate lifestyle, free from animal exploitation. Since then, she has remained steadfast in her vegan journey, demonstrating her unwavering dedication to a cause she now holds dear.

Meatless Movement recently had a chat with her.

Please tell us more about yourself

My name is Juliana, I live in Bogotá, Colombia.

Today our consumption has to become conscious, the earth asks us to

Juliana Jacobo

I’m a 32 years old set designer, I was born in a small city that due to its location and climatic conditions is primarily dedicated to livestock industry, so from a very young age I was in contact with different animals being slaughter, it was just a cultural thing, and even though I questioned this horrific behavior for many years, it wasn’t till 2019, studying my master’s degree abroad that I finally decided to become fully vegan and never looked back.

Before learning further about the movement per se, I felt I was becoming a vegan for the environment, my health, and an ever growing love for the animals, and although all of the above are true and I have seen major improvements in my body and mind (specially related to my endometriosis), it was with more investigation that I understood that veganism is an ethical movement for the voiceless, the animals, no matter if I love them of not, they deserve my respect.

And this is my first advice for someone interested in becoming a vegan, learn, understand and investigate. I truly believe once we have our reasons fully set, and once the mask of especism we live under is unveiled, it becomes harder to ignore it.

My journey towards a life of conscious consumption has been a wonderful process of self-discovery, uprooting old habits, getting rid of laziness and lots of love

Juliana Jacobo

In the 5 years or so I’ve been a vegan, I’ve come to the realization that everything can be turned into a plant based dish, that would be my second advice to a new vegan, to search for flavors that are already familiar but made with plants. It brings so much comfort to your soul to taste the dishes you’ve always known and love but free from animal cruelty, and it’s a good way to start since you already know what they are supposed to taste like.

I feel so blessed to have a vegan fiance, and a non-vegan but very supportive family, which isn’t often seen in the plant based community. For those who don’t run with the same luck, my recommendation is to always be prepared, hummus will become your best friend.

One of the biggest challenges I’m currently facing is planning a whole vegan wedding for us and our loved ones. We want to stop the common misconception that veganism is expensive and only for the privileged, especially in a country so diverse and rich as Colombia, where multiple fruits, vegetables, legumes and grains of all kinds grow everywhere throughout the year.

My favorite vegan restaurants to this day in Bogotá are:

1. Dalia, a Mexican plant based heaven. (@dalia.mexican)
2. Nuve, and their delicious and very affordable vegan buffet. (@nuvenutricionverde)
3. Casa Lelyte (@casa.lelyte) for a unique, tremendous vegan experience.
4. Herbívoro, a city classic where you can also buy stuff in bulk. (@herbivorococinavegana) and
5. Pianta Gastro Bar, and their all you can eat vegan brunch with an Italian touch (@pianta_gastrobar)
6. Special mention to De Raíz, and their little Italian brother, Mi Manchi, both are really good. (@deraiz_cocina_cafe) (@mimanchi_restaurante)

Just remember, if you can’t go vegan right now, there are other ways to help the movement, for instance you can try and donate to a vegan animal shelter or sanctuary, you can also volunteer and help animals with special needs. In Bogotá there’s Corazón Animal Vegano, a non profit organization that has a doggyatric, a geriatric for old dogs, and as a volunteer you can help walking or giving company to the dogs for an afternoon, it’s really fulfilling and they will be very grateful. (@corazonanimalvegano)

More sanctuaries to definitely look into: @santuarioanimalnamigni @julianasanimalsanctuary

There is a long way to go, but this process has been incredibly rewarding

Juliana Jacobo

If you are the kind of person that thinks individual change won’t help anything, I invite you to take a look around next time you are at your local supermarket. A few years back there wasn’t even a vegan section and now there is, because we control the market and that’s our power as consumers. Changing is progressive, but is coming!

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Embrace Compassion: Support the Meatless Movement, Love Animals

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Juliana Jacobo

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Vegan por los animales 🐥
Followed by faszination_vegan, ja

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all images courtesy of Juliana Jacobo